Here's another question. Considering all of this, if I took Spear mastery instead, would Pact of the blade even be the most useful pact at that point? I was looking at pact of the chain and thinking of grabbing the imp familiar, but I'm not keenly aware of the warlock spell or invocation lists, or what pact needs what. i know I'd miss thirsting blade and lifedrinker, but what would I be able to replace it with through the chain pact?
Correct me if I’m wrong, and maybe I didn’t read the thread correctly, but your pact weapon can’t be a two-handed. I know a spear is ok because it is versatile, but a polearm with reach will be two-handed. Am I correct?
Correct me if I’m wrong, and maybe I didn’t read the thread correctly, but your pact weapon can’t be a two-handed. I know a spear is ok because it is versatile, but a polearm with reach will be two-handed. Am I correct?
It can be a two-handed weapon. Hex Warrior weapons can't be two-handed, but Pact Weapons can. The only restriction to Pact Weapons is that they must be melee weapons (unless the Improved Pact Weapon Eldritch Invocation is picked, in which case they can also be short bow, long bow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow).
Yes I thought you can only use you weapon as a focus if you are pact of the blade and choose the improved pact weapon invocation(according to PHB). However I have heard that it is a popular house rule for hexblades in general. In my current game my monk/warlock can use his hexblade warrior weapon as a focus as long as he takes the pact of the blade (dosen't need the improved pact weapon invocation).
It seems that polearms are just the way to go versus spears, but I was wondering if I'm missing something. I was going to make a variant human with the spear mastery perk and focus on melee / casting as needed. Compared to Polearm mastery I get an early +1 to hit and my damage is comparable to polearms, though I trade reach for thrown. With polearm mastery I would have to wait until level three before I could use a glaive with Pact of the Blade, so i'd be stuck with a quarterstaff until then. So my question is really...
Sorry, I'm late to the party on this thread, forgive me if I missed anything.
Why would you have to wait until level 3 to use a glaive? Do you mean to get the benefit of Hex Warrior on the glaive? Because Hexblade as a patron gives you martial weapons via Hex Warrior. You can't channel your will and do the Cha for hit/damage with a two-handed weapon, but the first part of Hex Warrior specifies you get proficiency with martial weapons, which a glaive is, right?
Sidenote: I don't understand why the Polearm Master feat DOESN'T give the bonus to the Pike... when I can't image a GM faulting you for wanting to have a Pike as a "giant spear".
Because a pike is a much longer weapon than the sort of polearm the feat is talking about. You can hit somebody with the back end of a glaive, you really can't with a pike. Pikes are around 10-12 feet long minimum. You place it into the ground or set it to receive a charge, it's almost entirely a defensive weapon.
I feel like if you're going Pact of the Blade it's best to opt for two handed weapons 100% of the time then. Even then, it's an action to summon your pact weapon, and a free action to draw one on you. So a sword and board hexblade might be better off picking another pact?
Blade pact Hexblade: Cast Hex, action to summon weapon.
Other pact(?) Sword and board Hexblade: Cast Hex, draw weapon, attack.
But the Warlock can keep the weapon out and ready. Just because they can summon it from nowhere with an action--which granted is super cool--doesn't mean that they can't also summon it when they first head down into the dungeon, and then keep it out and ready. Going just by anecdote, most of the combat I get into in D&D involves plenty of warning, well more than enough for a warlock to summon the weapon out of combat and have it ready when combat begins. With surprise or sudden combat, it's a issue as you say. But it certainly doesn't have to be like that most of the time.
In fact, a warlock can summon a sword, and then stick it in a sheath and wear it on his hip all day long, drawing it for free whenever needed. Doesn't come with the cool factor, but gets you into combat right away without that action. Seems pretty practical most of the time too.
The most recent errata to the Polearm Master feat adds the Spear to the list of weapons that benefit from PAM.
There's also an excellent feat for Spear users in Critical Role's Tal'Dorei setting guide (available as a free pdf) called Thrown Arms Master. Among other benefits, it increases Spear throwing ranges by +20/+40. (It's also a half feat giving +1 to Strength or Dexterity, and allowing any melee weapon to be thrown with proficiency. Light thrown weapons return if you miss.)
I've got a Spear-wielding character in the Tal'Dorei setting with the above feats who's quite versatile. Now all he needs is a Rod of Lordly Might.
Brotherbock, hex warrior says the following: “Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property.... If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type.“
That’s why you have to wait until level 3 to use a pole arm as a hex blade, even though you are proficient at level 1.
Interesting side fact, RAW, any magic weapon can be your hex warrior weapon if you select pact of the blade: “You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon.”
Brotherbock, hex warrior says the following: “Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property.... If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type.“
That’s why you have to wait until level 3 to use a pole arm as a hex blade, even though you are proficient at level 1.
Interesting side fact, RAW, any magic weapon can be your hex warrior weapon if you select pact of the blade: “You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon.”
What Hex Warrior says is:
"At 1st level , you acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two -handed property. Etc"
The 'also' makes those two paragraphs not dependent on each other. The Hexblade Warlock is proficient in all martial weapons, polearms included, at 1st level. In addition, you can touch a non-two-handed weapon you are proficient with and do extra stuff. The stuff that comes after the part about proficiency doesn't have anything to do with PAM. You don't have to wait until 3rd level to use a polearm--you are proficient with one at 1st level. You only have to wait until 3rd level to substitute your Cha bonus for attack and damage.
In fact, PAM doesn't even require proficiency. You can attack with a weapon you're not proficient in, and PAM doesn't say anything about you needing to be proficient. Yes, you're better if you're proficient. Just like you're better (in theory, if your Cha is high) once you can Blade Pact a polearm. But you still get all the benefits of PAM and proficiency with a polearm at 1st level with Hex Warrior.
Yah, I think the point is not that you can't use PAM with a polearm as a Hexblade before level 3, but that you wouldn't, since you'd be attacking with Strength rather than Charisma, so it's probably an overall damage loss to do so, unless you've got high Strength (but then, why would you, being a Hexblade?).
Well yeah :) I said that in my first post about it :D I might have understressed that point though.
With the abundance of multiclassing, it's entirely possible that someone is only gaining a +1 or +2 by switching from Str to Cha :) That definitely adds up over multiple attacks, But a warlock with a 16 Cha and a 12 Str isn't losing enough to make the build not worth thinking about, imo.
Here's another question. Considering all of this, if I took Spear mastery instead, would Pact of the blade even be the most useful pact at that point? I was looking at pact of the chain and thinking of grabbing the imp familiar, but I'm not keenly aware of the warlock spell or invocation lists, or what pact needs what. i know I'd miss thirsting blade and lifedrinker, but what would I be able to replace it with through the chain pact?
Sorry for the somewhat off-topic question... but what is this "Spear Mastery" Feat I see being mentioned? I can't find it.
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Ist there any new ruling that the bonus attack from Polearm Master has a reach of only 5'?
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/05/09/glaives-and-halberds-can-the-bonus-attack-from-polearm-master-be-taken-at-10-feet-reach/
Correct me if I’m wrong, and maybe I didn’t read the thread correctly, but your pact weapon can’t be a two-handed. I know a spear is ok because it is versatile, but a polearm with reach will be two-handed. Am I correct?
It can be a two-handed weapon. Hex Warrior weapons can't be two-handed, but Pact Weapons can. The only restriction to Pact Weapons is that they must be melee weapons (unless the Improved Pact Weapon Eldritch Invocation is picked, in which case they can also be short bow, long bow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow).
I see many others do this mistake as well. The BA attack does indeed have the same reach as the ordinary attack.
Remember that the summoned weapon can be used as a spell focus.
Only with the Improved Pact Weapon invocation.
Yes I thought you can only use you weapon as a focus if you are pact of the blade and choose the improved pact weapon invocation(according to PHB). However I have heard that it is a popular house rule for hexblades in general. In my current game my monk/warlock can use his hexblade warrior weapon as a focus as long as he takes the pact of the blade (dosen't need the improved pact weapon invocation).
According to the Hex warrior ability two handed weapons cant be bonded with. Did everyone miss this or do you know of a workaround to it?
Your pact weapon is the work around. If you go pact of the blade, Hex Warrior extends to any qeapon you can form (including two handed weapons.)
Sorry, I'm late to the party on this thread, forgive me if I missed anything.
Why would you have to wait until level 3 to use a glaive? Do you mean to get the benefit of Hex Warrior on the glaive? Because Hexblade as a patron gives you martial weapons via Hex Warrior. You can't channel your will and do the Cha for hit/damage with a two-handed weapon, but the first part of Hex Warrior specifies you get proficiency with martial weapons, which a glaive is, right?
Because a pike is a much longer weapon than the sort of polearm the feat is talking about. You can hit somebody with the back end of a glaive, you really can't with a pike. Pikes are around 10-12 feet long minimum. You place it into the ground or set it to receive a charge, it's almost entirely a defensive weapon.
But the Warlock can keep the weapon out and ready. Just because they can summon it from nowhere with an action--which granted is super cool--doesn't mean that they can't also summon it when they first head down into the dungeon, and then keep it out and ready. Going just by anecdote, most of the combat I get into in D&D involves plenty of warning, well more than enough for a warlock to summon the weapon out of combat and have it ready when combat begins. With surprise or sudden combat, it's a issue as you say. But it certainly doesn't have to be like that most of the time.
In fact, a warlock can summon a sword, and then stick it in a sheath and wear it on his hip all day long, drawing it for free whenever needed. Doesn't come with the cool factor, but gets you into combat right away without that action. Seems pretty practical most of the time too.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
More Spear related stuff:
The most recent errata to the Polearm Master feat adds the Spear to the list of weapons that benefit from PAM.
There's also an excellent feat for Spear users in Critical Role's Tal'Dorei setting guide (available as a free pdf) called Thrown Arms Master. Among other benefits, it increases Spear throwing ranges by +20/+40. (It's also a half feat giving +1 to Strength or Dexterity, and allowing any melee weapon to be thrown with proficiency. Light thrown weapons return if you miss.)
I've got a Spear-wielding character in the Tal'Dorei setting with the above feats who's quite versatile. Now all he needs is a Rod of Lordly Might.
DICE FALL, EVERYONE ROCKS!
Brotherbock, hex warrior says the following: “Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property.... If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type.“
That’s why you have to wait until level 3 to use a pole arm as a hex blade, even though you are proficient at level 1.
Interesting side fact, RAW, any magic weapon can be your hex warrior weapon if you select pact of the blade: “You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon.”
What Hex Warrior says is:
"At 1st level , you acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two -handed property. Etc"
The 'also' makes those two paragraphs not dependent on each other. The Hexblade Warlock is proficient in all martial weapons, polearms included, at 1st level. In addition, you can touch a non-two-handed weapon you are proficient with and do extra stuff. The stuff that comes after the part about proficiency doesn't have anything to do with PAM. You don't have to wait until 3rd level to use a polearm--you are proficient with one at 1st level. You only have to wait until 3rd level to substitute your Cha bonus for attack and damage.
In fact, PAM doesn't even require proficiency. You can attack with a weapon you're not proficient in, and PAM doesn't say anything about you needing to be proficient. Yes, you're better if you're proficient. Just like you're better (in theory, if your Cha is high) once you can Blade Pact a polearm. But you still get all the benefits of PAM and proficiency with a polearm at 1st level with Hex Warrior.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
Yah, I think the point is not that you can't use PAM with a polearm as a Hexblade before level 3, but that you wouldn't, since you'd be attacking with Strength rather than Charisma, so it's probably an overall damage loss to do so, unless you've got high Strength (but then, why would you, being a Hexblade?).
Agree with Tonio. I should have clarified. Can use a pole arm? Yes. Can you sub CHA for attack/damage? Not till lvl 3.
Well yeah :) I said that in my first post about it :D I might have understressed that point though.
With the abundance of multiclassing, it's entirely possible that someone is only gaining a +1 or +2 by switching from Str to Cha :) That definitely adds up over multiple attacks, But a warlock with a 16 Cha and a 12 Str isn't losing enough to make the build not worth thinking about, imo.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)